Shelley a no-show at hearing on use of U.S. voter funds -subpoena threats

Sacramento -- The chairwoman of the Legislature's audit committee threatened Monday to subpoena Secretary of State Kevin Shelley after he declined to appear at a hearing into his alleged mishandling of federal voting act funds.

Assemblywoman Nicole Parra, D-Hanford (Kings County), said she would seek a subpoena by noon today if Shelley did not agree to testify at the committee's next hearing. The move by the Democratic lawmaker ratchets up pressure on Shelley, who would have to face questioning in public -- and perhaps under oath -- about whether he improperly steered contracts to political allies and directed them to engage in partisan work. ...Shelley's absence outraged some Republicans on the committee, and there were partisan squabbles throughout the proceeding over the order of witnesses and whether their testimony should be taken under oath. ...Miller was questioned by both Republican and Democratic lawmakers about why so many Democrats were hired as consultants, whether the consultants charged with increasing voter turnout targeted Democratic areas and whether Shelley himself was briefed on what consultants were doing.

Miller acknowledged that some of the consultants' activities - one attended a fund-raiser for Democratic presidential candidate Sen. John Kerry - "were questionable in terms of public perception.'' But he insisted all federal money was spent on legitimate get-out-the-vote activities.

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